Dollar Bin Delights: Alf Newman

Here's a nutty one-off 45 by German Elvis-impersonator Oliver Hardt born Wolfgang Neumann aka "Alf Newman" released in '66.

LINKS
Memory Radio Oliver Hardt: Bankruptcy after success

Jimbo Mathus talks about his "Songs for Rosetta" album being reissued

Back in 1997, Jimbo Mathus recorded at tribute to his childhood nanny, Rosetta Patton, which is finally being reissued on vinyl! 

Here's the scoop... 

Way back in 1997, Squirrel Nut Zippers' singer/songwriter Jimbo Mathus and his Knock-Down Society recorded a heartfelt tribute to his beloved childhood babysitter Rosetta Patton, the daughter of hugely influential blues legend Charlie Patton. The resulting album "Plays Songs For Rosetta" – recorded with Luther & Cody Dickinson pre-North Mississippi All Stars, Andrew Bird, Pat Sansone (Wilco) and Glenn Graham (Blind Melon) – was a victim of the CD-era and never issued on vinyl. 

To mark the 30th anniversary of its release, Near Miss Records is rectifying the situation by reissuing "Plays Songs For Rosetta" as a double-LP in a limited pressing of 500 copies. The deluxe 30th anniversary edition features the entire original album with a second LP of bonus material including an "on the record" portion in which Jimbo tells his own story of how the recording project came together.  You can pre-order a 2LP copy of "Plays Songs For Rosetta" 30th Anniversary Edition directly from Near Miss Records right here. Those interested in getting a digital copy of the original album should check the Bandcamp link below.

Listen to Jimbo's WWOZ-FM interview with David Kunian from September 1 right here: http://www.wwoz.org/listen/archive/show.php?date=2026-09-01&time=10PM

Jimbo Mathus & His Knock-Down Society – Plays Songs For Rosetta

Mathus, one of the masterminds behind the Squirrel Nut Zippers, here cuts it Clarksdale style for the sake of bluesman Charlie Patton's daughter, Rosetta. Not surprisingly, Rosetta doesn't see a dime from the sale of Patton's music, and Mathus saw an opportunity to give back. Give back to the music? Well, yes, but also to Rosetta herself, who helped raise Mathus from knee-pants. And the result is a righteous paella of roots music: rattling Delta style, jug band and parlor jazz with Dixieland and country-blues to boot. It's all so fresh and lively you may wonder how you lived your life without it. Dig the winking ragtime cover of Leadbelly's "Keep Your Hand's Off Her" or the country scrawl of Mathus' "Turkey Buzzard in a Pork Pie Hat." -Tim Sheridan

You can listen to Jimbo's Plays Songs For Rosetta and get a digital copy via Bandcamp right here. 

Listen to R.Crumb spinning some dusty dance band 78s

Take a trip back in time with the "Everybody Dance" episode of R. Crumb's Record Room.

Listen to R.Crumb's Record Room Part 76: "Everybody Dance" on John's Old Time Record Show right here. 

R.I.P. Cassandra Wilson, 1955-2026

Sadly, jazz singer Cassandra Wilson has passed away at her home in Jackson, Mississippi at the age of 70. She'll be greatly missed.

LINKS

WLBT.com Jackson-born Grammy winner Cassandra Wilson dies at home at age 70.

Jenny Whiteley & Joey Wright @ The Cameron House, Wednesday

Joey Wright and Jenny Whiteley swing by the Cameron House for a rare Toronto show tonight from 6 pm to 8 pm. Don't miss it!  

Jaymz Bee's feature film "MagicLand" screens @ Paradise Theatre, Sept 14

Jaymz Bee's epic feature film debut MagicLand stars Toronto singer/songwriter Irene Torres and a cast of local music scene celebs

Here's the scoop from Jaymz Bee...

"I will screen my first feature film, an hour and a half Myth-illogical musical comedy called “MagicLand”. Starring Irene Torres and featuring: Jef Faqhuarson, Robert Priest, Barbra Lica, Denielle Bassels and me, Jaymz Bee." – Jaymz Bee

MagicLand screens at the Paradise Theatre on September 14 at 3:45 pm. Tickets are $20 and available here. Boffo movie poster designed by Jason Brown. Read Jaymz's discussion about making a feature-length film on his Substack page right here.  For more information on what Jaymz Bee is up to, visit his site: https://jaymzbee.com/news/. 

MagicLand, Dinner and a Showcase: 

Vesuvius Music turns A Monday into an event

TORONTO, ON — Who says Mondays have to be boring? On September 14, Vesuvius Music Inc. is turning Toronto's historic Paradise Theatre into a one stop shop for film, food, and live music, and yes, you can do all three in one night.

Curated by filmmaker, broadcaster and Vesuvius Music co-founder Jaymz Bee, the day kicks off at 4pm with a screening of MagicLand, a feature film from Bee and co-director Jason J. Brown starring a cavalcade of Toronto's own musicians, comics and actors in cameo roles you'll be pointing at the screen for. Runtime is a tight ninety minutes, no filler. There's no post-show Q&A this time around, and that's by design: you've got a concert at 8pm, which means you've got just enough time to grab dinner, maybe brag to your table about who you spotted in the movie, and get back for the main event.

That main event is the annual Vesuvius Music Showcase, and it is, without exaggeration, the best two hours of live music you'll get on a Monday anywhere in this city. The lineup features label artists Denielle Bassels, Jocelyn Barth, Irene Torres, Taylor Abrahamse, Robert Priest and Serafin LaRiviere, backed by a house band that reads like a "who's who" of Canadian music: George Koller, Eric St-Laurent, Ewen Farncombe, Richard Underhill, Ben Wittman, Great Bob Scott and Jono Grant. 

Tickets are $30 advance  (www.vesuviusmusic.com) or $40 at the door. 

This show sells out every single year. We are not being modest about that, we are warning you. If you're planning the full night, film, dinner, concert, don't leave your tickets or your restaurant reservation to chance.

THE LINEUP

4:00 PM — MagicLand (feature film screening) https://bemusednetwork.com/events/detail/1078

Film ends by 5:45pm - you have time to go out and eat and come back - make dinner reservations to be safe!

7:00 PM — Doors Open

8:00 PM — Vesuvius Music Showcase https://bemusednetwork.com/events/detail/1081

Tickets and info: all links from Jaymz Bee's site: https://jaymzbee.com/movies/

Midweek Mixdown: Va Va Voom!! Vol. 1 – 16 Early 60s Instrumental Shakers

The 1992 rare 60s instro compilation Va Va Voom!! Vol. 1 collected 16 overlooked rock 'n' roll and R&B swingers – check it! 

Here's the scoop on Va Va Voom!! Vol. 1...

Get ready to move your feet to the ultimate 1960s dancefloor destroyer! Va Va Voom!! Vol. 1 gathers a killer selection of rare, high-energy instrumental gems blending raw mod R&B, early funk, sultry pop-soul, and infectious dancefloor shakers.

Sourced from obscure 45s and hard-to-find pressings, this Floridita Records (Spain) compilation from 1992 is packed with blazing horn sections, heavy basslines, swinging Hammond organs, and unstoppable rhythms designed to ignite any party. 

Have a listen to Va Va Voom!! Vol. 1 right here. 

Check out 16 more early 60s instrumental gems on Zooba! Va Va Voom!! Vol. 2 right here. 

Va Va Voom! – Vol. 1 (Floridita Records, Spain)

01 –Jimmy Riddle Let’s Go 00:00

02 –Dondi S&L 02:01

03 –Ray Ellis And His Orchestra The Sheik 04:58

04 –The Church Street Five Backslob 07:15

05 –J.C. Davis Feznecky 09:51

06 –Sleepy Summers Strange Cargo 12:25

07 –Spinners Nothin’ 14:41

08 –Chris Towns Va Va Voom 16:54

09 –The Shandells Black Crack 19:32

10 –Don Caron’s Orchestra Twist Cha-Cha 21:55

11 –Buddy Harman Summit Ridge Drive 24:05

12 –The Tikis Big Feet 26:02

13 –The TKO’s Fat Man 28:14

14 –Bowlegs One More Time Pt.1 30:48

 

Remembering country star Conway Twitty on his birthday

Raising a glass to Conway Twitty – born Harold Jenkins in Friars Point, Mississippi – with a few TV appearances. 

Conway Twitty and family resided on Herkimer Street in Hamilton, Ontario in 1958 and wrote "It's Only Make Believe" at the Flamingo Lounge on McNab St. 

R.I.P. Country & Western singer Frankie Miller, 1930-2026

Sadly, Texas-born singer Frankie Miller – one of the few remaining golden age C&W stars – has died at 95. He'll be greatly missed.

From the Country Music Hall of Fame...

Honky-tonk singer and songwriter Frankie Miller died in his home in Arlington, Texas, on August 29 at the age of ninety-five. Writer Jimmy McDonough, a friend of Miller’s, called him “one of the great, unheralded honky-tonk singers of the 1950s and ’60s. Frankie Miller had a powerful run of singles on Starday (frequently written or co-written by Frankie) that spotlight his intense, empathetic vocals and unerring sense of rhythm, not to mention his starkly poetic and often soul-searching lyrics.”

Born in Victoria, Texas, in 1930, Miller had a rough, truth-bringing voice that could hit the words like a dead-blow hammer. He cut a number of singles for the small Gilt-Edge label in the 1950s; those records, beloved by collectors today, made him “big on all the jukeboxes in Victoria and Calhoun County,” Miller told “Texas Monthly” magazine.

The record that made Miller a national star was unusual and undeniable. “Blackland Farmer” was released in 1959, with Miller whistling in the intro and clacking coconut shells used to imitate the horses on the farm Miller was remembering. It was his uncle’s farm, and the record celebrated lasting rural values. When Nashville’s Starday Records president Don Pierce heard it, he immediately offered Miller a record contract.

“Blackland Farmer” was a Top Five country hit and sat on the charts for five months; its follow-up, “Family Man,” went Top Ten country. They earned Miller “Cashbox” magazine’s Most Promising Artist award for 1960.

He toured the circuit with his pal George Jones, and then with Willie Nelson, and he sang in the honky-tonks and dancehalls of Texas. Eventually he left the recording industry and sold cars in Arlington, Texas. But in the early 2000s, he made a return to music, performing at venues around the U.S. and in Europe, and releasing four new albums through the Heart of Texas Music label.

In 2008 Bear Family Records released a three-CD box set, “Blackland Farmer: The Complete Starday Recordings and More,” which also brought renewed attention. In July, his biography, written by his son-in-law Greg Wilson, was published: “The Blackland Farmer: Life Among Country Music Legends.” Over the years, his songs have been recorded by Jessi Colter, Elizabeth Cook, Webb Pierce, Dwight Yoakam, and Faron Young. 

 

Punk Talks event focuses on Hamilton's Star Records @ The City & City Books, Sept 2

Hamilton vinyl emporium Star Records is discussed by Chris Houston, Rob Sweeney and Paul Kobak for a new Kire Paputts film.  

Here's the scoop from filmmaker Kire Paputts...

Hey everybody,

I’ve been making a new film this summer about Paul Kobak. He opened Star Records in Hamilton in 1975.

I’m putting together a free punk panel consisting of Paul Kobak, Chris Houston (Forgotten Rebels), and Rob Sweeney (Durango 95, Purple Toads). Hosted by Liz Worth. We’ll be chatting about Star Records (Hamilton/Oshawa), Teenage Head, and the early days of punk rock in Hamilton. This event will be filmed and featured in my new film. If you come to the event there’s a good chance you’ll be in the film 🙂

If you’d like to hear some old Hamilton punk stories while helping my film at the same time, I’d love your support. 

This will be a public event. Please feel free to share it with others.

The City & City Books (181 Ottawa St. N, Hamilton) 

Wednesday, September 2 

Doors (7pm)

Panel (7:30 - 9pm)

Hopefully you can make it out

Poster by Liz Worth. 

Whaddya mean you don't know Les Impairs

Quebec beat group Les Impairs from Saint-Hyacinthe were early Stones fans – check their crack at "Heart Of Stone" en Français. 

R.I.P. musician and visual artist David Fair

Sadly, visual artist and musician David Fair – co-founder of Half Japanese – has died at the age of 74. He'll be greatly missed. 

Happy 80th Birthday Cooper-Moore!

Cheers to pianist/composer and instrument builder Cooper-Moore on his 80th! Here are a few interviews and performances. 

Watch some vintage footage of Lee "Scratch" Perry working at Black Ark

Here's a rare clip of Lee "Scratch" Perry working his magic on a track by The Heptones at Black Ark. 

Col. Tom Parker's Swinging Door w/ guest Tony Allen @ Cameron House, Sunday

Tony Allen is gettin' ready to unveil his new hat to go with some hot fiddle licks for Col. Tom's Swinging Door today from 6 to 8 pm.

You can watch a preview of Fiddlin' Tony's swank new chapeau in this recent performance with Meredith Moon right here.  

Remembering tastemaking DJ John Peel on his birthday

Thinking of British DJ John Peel on his birthday with a look back at his Top 40 published by the NME back in 1979. 

 

B-Side Wins Again: Bobby Verne

Bobby Verne's super rare sax-blastin' rockabilly B-side "Red Hot Car" (on Doc Holiday Records) just got reissued by Ace – thanks to Keb Darge!

Here's the scoop from Ace on their 7" reissue...

The third release on Uprising pairs a late sax driven rockabilly thumper with one of the coolest dance craze records of the mid-60s. ‘Red Hot Car’ was Bobby Verne’s only recording and came out on the tiny Indio, California-based label Doc Holiday in 1962. Judging by the current price and collector demand for an original copy only a small quantity were pressed. This is a powerhouse of a tune that has been filling dance floors across the globe for some time now.

As for the flip, in 1965, Buddy Wayne added self-penned lyrics to Gary Paxton’s rendition of the James Bond theme. Released on the Big Ben label – that only put out four records − it sat unwanted for decades. Then the rockabilly scene picked up on it in a big way when they discovered that it was the perfect stroller. This was closely followed by the northern soul and mod scenes. Today, it is at last crossing over to a more mainstream audience.

By putting both tracks on one 7”, Keb Darge is not only saving collectors hundreds of pounds but introducing this music to a wider audience and a new generation.

Get a reissue copy of Bobby Verne's "Red Hot Car" with Buddy Wayne's "Agent 007 Dance" on the flip directly from Ace Records UK right here. Have a listen to Bobby Verne's original of "Red Hot Car" and Buddy Wayne's tribute to James Bond below. 

Mike T. Kerr & Nichol Robertson, Lori Yates' Velvetinas @ The Cameron House, Saturday

Mike T. Kerr and Nichol Robertson get back together for a show at the Cameron House tonight at 8 pm with Lori Yates at 6-8 pm.

If you're going to Nichol & Mike's show at the Cameron, get there early to catch Lori Yates' Velvetinas set from 6-8 pm! 

Thee Sacred Souls, LA LOM, Womack Sisters @ RBC Amphitheatre, Sept 20

Better grab your tickets quick for this fab triple bill with the Womack Sisters, LA LOM and Thee Sacred Souls in T.O. right here. 

Helsinki's Timmion label issues instro-soul album Organ-ized by Mr. Sophisticated Fingers

Mr. Sophisticated Fingers' Organ-ized – a Hammond-led reworking of Emilia Sisco's Introducing album – is out now! 

Here's the scoop...

Through the ages, several people from moustachioed party boat troubadours to jazz elite like Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff and Shirley Scott have wielded the power of the electric organ to hypnotize listeners. Now, taking all the possible cues from these musical heavyweights, and breaking through the musical sound barrier to organ-ize your mind comes Mr. Sophisticated Fingers. 

Together with the ever-faithful Cold Diamond & Mink this mystical key stroker rephrases ten of the greatest hits from Emilia Sisco’s debut album “Introducing” in a unique lyrical style. In Organ-ized’s Slow Dance & Soul album these songs continue for further greatness. 

You may have heard them before, now listen to them again, as now they’ve been organ-ized by the musical maestro Mr. Sophisticated Fingers, baby!

Get a copy of Organ-ized: Slow Dance & Soul on limited edition vinyl via Bandcamp right here. Check out three tracks below.